Establishment of the Castner Range National Monument

President Biden used the Antiquities Act to designate approximately 6,672 acres of former military land at Fort Bliss, Texas as the Castner Range National Monument, protecting archaeological sites, rare desert habitat, and geological features. The proclamation withdraws the land from development, mining, and mineral leasing while directing the Secretary of the Army to manage remediation of military munitions, develop a management plan with tribal consultation, and eventually allow public access and recreational use.

Federal Register Open PDF 88 FR 17999

Impact dates

Date TBD
Expeditious conduct of military munitions response actions
Date TBD
Management plan preparation and regulations promulgation
Date TBD
Phased public access as remediation permits

Key directives

Secretary of Army shall manage monument per applicable legal authorities including NDAA FY2018 section 2846
Secretary shall prepare management plan in consultation with Secretary of Interior
Secretary shall promulgate regulations for monument management
Secretary shall provide maximum public involvement including tribal, state, local, stakeholder consultation
Secretary shall expeditiously conduct military munitions response actions under CERCLA and NDAA FY2018 section 2846 in phased manner allowing incremental public access
Secretary shall protect sacred sites and provide tribal access for traditional cultural/spiritual uses including collection of medicines, berries, vegetation, forest products, firewood for personal non-commercial use
Secretary shall meaningfully engage Tribal Nations with cultural ties to develop management plan and inform subsequent management

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Land withdrawal from entry, sale, mining, mineral/solar/geothermal leasing takes effect
Military munitions response actions to proceed expeditiously under CERCLA and NDAA FY2018

Near term (90d)

Secretary of Army to begin management plan development in consultation with Secretary of Interior and Tribal Nations
Phased munitions remediation to allow incremental public access as safety permits

Long term

Management plan completion with regulations for monument operations
Potential full public access contingent on munitions remediation
Ongoing tribal engagement in management decisions
Research access to archaeological and biological sites

Risks & tensions

Munitions remediation timeline uncertain; public access contingent on safety clearance with no fixed deadline
Potential tension between expedited access and explosives safety requirements
Tribal consultation requirements may slow management plan development but are mandated as meaningful engagement
Military overflight and training route provisions preserve DOD operational flexibility potentially conflicting with wilderness experience goals
Valid existing water rights and infrastructure provisions may create implementation complexity